Problem statement:
About 1.3 million South Africans between the ages of 20 and 29 are unemployed, constituting 54 percent of the country’s total unemployed. Of these, one in two 20 to 25 year olds and one in three 26 to 29 year olds are unemployed. This includes discouraged workers who are no longer looking for a job. In addition, one in three matriculants is unemployed.
An unemployed person aged 18 to 24 has about an 11 percent chance of finding a job in six months, while a person aged between 25 and 54 has a 22 percent chance. First-time work seekers are hindered by access barriers to the formal workplace. Barriers include the gap between the skills provided by the education system and the skills required in the world of work, as well as psycho-social barriers caused by poverty and long-term unemployment. Employers need to recruit and retain entry-level employees, but they tend to resist bringing in first-time employees due to the risks and costs of recruiting and integrating these employees into the workplace, and redressing their educational and psycho-social issues.

Partner(s):
A partnership of businesses established Harambee as a public benefit organisation in 2011 to address entry-level labour challenges and youth unemployment. Project partners include Yellowwoods (an investment company), several investee businesses and the South African government.

Intervention:
Based on the understanding that if a young person gets and keeps their first job they are more likely to remain employed for the rest of their lives, Harambee helps first-time job seekers and employers by:
• Empowering job seekers through personal development, skills enhancement and, most importantly, formal job placement. Candidates that are not selected for bridging will still benefit from their association with Harambee (placement is demand-led and is thus determined by the labour market - a high number of candidates are given initial training and are then screened for suitability - not all will move onto the bridging programme).
• Giving employers access to previously inaccessible pools of talent – first-time employees with the skills and behaviour needed to meet the demands of entry-level roles